Control mechanism for washing machines



Washing [Wachinc Spin Basket Motor Armature H. F. BARIFFI CONTROL IECHANISI FOR WASHING IACHINES Filed July 13, 1945 winding Starting Winding Runn'nfi Dec. 9, 1947.

Inventor: 1 Herbert E'Bariffi. 1 W

Hus Attorne s;

Patented Dec. 9, 1947 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Herbert F. Barifli, Hamden, Coma, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July is, 1945, Serial No; 604,887

. The present invention relates to washing machines of the type wherein the clothes are containrd in a basket and the washing fluid is re-, moved from the'clothes by rotating the basket at a high speed by an electric motor, the fluidbeing thrown out by centrifugal force. In such mai chines, the ba ket must be started from a standing position which means that considerable power is required to start it rotating and to bring itto full speed. My invention is well adapted for use in a washing machine of the type disclosed in the application of Thomas T. Woodson, Serial No. 551,096, filed August 25, 1944. wherein the electric motor is connected to the spin basket through a clutch, the movable element of which is connected to a corrugated bellows or other type of expansible device. and is moved by fluid pressure acting on the bellows, "the fluid pressure in turn being controlled by a solenoid operated valve and it is this application of my invention which I have elected to illustrate specifically.

7 Claims. (Cl. 192-.02)

member and a collar 1 fixed on shaft 2. This forms in substance a brake for the spin basket. When thus held stationary, a washing operation may be performed within the basket by any suit- The objector my invention is to provide an I improved construction and arrangement in a washing machine of this type for protecting the electric motor which drives the spin basket from overloads, and for a. consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and to th claims appended thereto. I

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a washing machine embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail view of a modification' The washing machine construction is illustrated only to the extent needed to illustrate and describe my invention. I

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a. washing machine spin basket which is rotated at relatively high speed to extract washing fluid from clothes in the basket. It may be of a known type having openings in the wall through which the water escapes and it will be understood that it may form a part of a complete washing machine such as that disclosed in the aforementioned Woodson application. Basket l is carried on a shaft 2 and is indicated as being supported on a thrust bearing 3 carried by a stationary part of the machine. Splined on shaft 2 so that it rotates with the shaft but can move axially on the shaft is a clutch member 4. Clutch member 4 is of dish shape and has an outer frictional surface 5. When the spin basket is stationary, clutch surface 5 rests against a stationary wall 6 of the washing machine whereby the spin basket is held stationary. it being forced against the stationary able means such as a known type of agitator. This showing of the spin basket is to a considerable extent diagrammatic and is to be taken as representative of any suitable washing machine construction.

The spin basket is rotated by means of an electric motor, the armature of which is indicated at 8,'the running winding at 8 and the starting winding at Ill. The armature shaft is indicated at. H. The frame of the armature is provided with a wall I 2 which is connected by a corrugated bellows l3 to a movableclutch member II which is shaped complementary to clutch member 4 and is adapted to be moved into "engagement with it. Clutch member I4 is provided with a bearing hub is through which shaft ll passes, the clutch member l4 being thus journaled on shaft II and capable of sliding axially relatively to it; With this arrangement, the motor armature drives clutch member HI through the corrugated bellows l3.

The lower end of shaft ll terminates in an eccentric pump housing l6 formed integral with the lower end of sleeve l6 through which shaft ll extends and in which it has a bearing. Sleeve Hi is shown as being fixed to and carried by a wall lli which forms a part of the framework of the washing machine. On the lower end of shaft II in the pump housing is a head I! which carries a pump blade IT to form with the housing an eccentric fluid pump of known type. The showing is diagrammatic and is to be taken as typical of any suitable type or pressure pump. The bottom of the pump housing is closed by a ,bottom plate l8. Beneath the bottom plate i8 is a wall l9 which defines with plate ill a liquid chamber 20. In wall I9 is a discharge opening 2| which is adapted to be closed by plunger 22 of a solenoid valve, the winding of which is indicated at 23. At 24 is a reservoir in which is contained a liquid 25 such as oil, ,for example. The inlet 26 of the pump is connected to-the oil supply by 3 its upper end communicates with the interior of corrugated bellows II. when the motor is running and the solenoid is not energized, the solewall by a spring 1 positioned between the clutch noid valve being open, the eccentric Dump pumps oil from reservoir 25 through pipe 21 and inlet 23 and discharges it through discharge opening 28 to chamber 20 from which it flows through opening 2| back to reservoir 25. When winding 23 is energized, the solenoid valve is actuated to close opening 2|. Pump 16 then builds up pressure in chamber 20 forcing oil from chamber 20 through passage 29 to the interior of corrugated bellows l3. Bellows I3 then expands to bring movable clutch member I 4 into engagement with clutch member 4, the movement being of an extent such that clutch member 4 is lifted from engagement with wall 6. The motor then drives the washing machine spin basket through the clutch. Its operation will continue as long as the solenoid valve is closed. When the solenoid valve is opened, fluid pressure escapes from within corrugated bellows 13 through passage 29 to chamber 20, and thence through opening 2| to reservoir 25, thus permitting the basket to lower to again engage the brake surface in wall 1 and permit movable clutch member 14 to separate from clutch surface 6. A suitable spring 29 may be provided in connection with the bellows which acts in a direction to collapse the bellows and which serves to assist in moving clutch member l4 away from clutch member 4.

According to my invention, I connect winding 23 of the solenoid valve to a circuit which is controlled by the speed of the motor, the arrangement being such that it is only when the motor is operating above a predetermined speed that the circuit is effective to actuate the solenoid valve to effect closing of the clutch to operate the spin basket.

In Fig. 1, solenoid winding 23 is connected by conductors 30, 30 and 3i, 3| to a pair of contacts 32 and 33 which are biased toward open position by a spring 34 and which are normally held closed by the weights 35 of a fly-ball speed governor. The speed governor is carried by a collar 36 fixed on motor shaft ll and the fly weights 35 bear against a collar 31 formed of suitable insulating material which may slide axially on sleeve Hi and which carries the movable contact 32. The contact 33 is stationary and is carried by wall I6". At 38 is a guide pin for collar 31. 39 and 40 indicate lead wires from a suitable source of electrical supply which are connected to the starting winding and the running windings, the connection to the starting winding including a conductor 4 I At 4 I is a control switch for the solenoid winding 23. When a circuit is closed on the motor through lead wires 39 and 40, current flows through lead wire 39 to contact 33, thence to contact 32 and conductors 30 and 4| to the starting winding I and through the starting winding to lead wire 40. At the same time, current flows from lead wire 39 through the running winding to lead wire 40. This starts the motor in operation and at the same time operates the pump comprising pump housing IB and pump head l'l. At this time solenoid winding 23 is shunted by contacts 32, 33. After a predetermined high speed has been reached, fly weights 35 of the governor move outward permitting contact 32 to separate from contact 33. When this happens the winding 23 of the solenoid is connected in circuit in series with the starting winding, thus energizing the solenoid and closing opening 2|. The current flowing through the solenoid winding and the starting winding is relatively small and does not affect adversely the operation of the motor. In this connection, it will be understood that the voltage impressed on the solof the solenoid operated valve.

enoid winding will be the line voltage, plus the voltage generated in the starting winding. Fluid pressure is then forced into the corrugated bellows i3 to close the clutch after the manner already described and rotate the spin basket. If at any time the load on the spin basket exceeds a. predetermined amount so as to decrease the speed of the motor below a predetermined value, flyweights 35 will move to again bring contact 32 into engagement with contact 33, thus short circuiting the solenoid winding 23 to permit plunger 22 to move away from opening 2|. This permits fluid pressure to escape from within bellows I3, thus disconnecting the motor from the spin basket.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated another form of my invention. It differs from that shown in Fig. 1 in that the flyweight governor controlled circuit closer is replaced by a solenoid operated circuit closer the winding 42 of which is in series with the motor running winding and the contacts 43 of which are adapted to short circuit the winding In Fig. 2, reference characters the same as those used in Fig. 1 have been applied to corresponding parts. The clutch mechanism has not been shown in Fig. 2 but it will be understood it may be the same as that of Fig. 1. When the circuit is closed on motor windings 9 and I0 to start the motor, the large current which flows in winding 42 to effect starting causes the solenoid to pick up and close contacts 43 thus short circuiting solenoid winding 23 and closing a circuit directly on starting winding in by way of contacts 43. Winding 42 is so designed that when the motor reaches a predetermined high speed the current flowing through winding 42 and the running winding 9 will be no longer sufficient to hold contacts 43 closed. When this speed is reached, contacts 43 are opened. connecting solenoid winding 23 to conductors 39 and 40 in series with the starting winding. At the same time opening of contacts 43 opens the circuit on the starting winding. The current now flowing through solenoid winding 23 effects closing of the solenoid operated valve which in turn effects closing of the spin basket clutch in the manner already described in connection with Fig. 1. The current flowing through solenoid winding 23 flows also through starting winding 9 but it is of relatively small value and does not affect adversely the operation of the motor. Now, if the motor slows down below a predetermined low speed, the current flowing in the running winding 8 will increase to a value wherein the current in solenoid winding 42 will cause the solenoid to pick up, thus closing contacts 43 and short circuiting solenoid winding 23 whereupon the solenoid valve will open permitting the clutch to open to dis connect the spin basket from the motor.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a washing machine, a spin basket, an electric motor having a shaft, an expansible bellows having one end connected to the motor armature whereby the bellows is rotated by the armature, a movable clutch member carried by the other end of the bellows, a cooperating clutch member winding of said solenoid operated valve when the I motor is operating at or above a predetermined high speed.

2. In a washing machine, a spin basket, an electric motor having a shaft, an expansible bellows having one end connected to the motor armature whereby the bellows is rotated by the armature, a movable clutch member carried by the other end of the bellows, a cooperating clutch member connected to the spin basket, a

fluid pump driven by the motor shaft for supplyingfluid under pressure tothe bellows t'o effect closing of the clutch, a solenoid operated valve controlling the flow of fluid from the pump to the bellows, an electric circuit for thesolenoid operated valve, and circuit closing means in said electric circuit which is controlled by thespeed ofthe electric motor to effect operation of said I or above a predetermined high speed.

solenoid operated valve to control the-fluid pressure supplied by the pump to the bellows.

3. In a washing machine, a spin basket, an. electric motor, a fluid actuated clutch for connecting the motor to the spin basket, a fluid pump driven by the motor for supplying actuating fluid to'the clutch, a solenoid operated valve controlelectric motor, a fluid actuated clutch for connecting the motor to the member, a fluid pump driven by the motor for supplying actuating fluid to the clutch, a solenoid operated valve controlling the fluid supply to the clutch, an electriccircuit for the winding of the solenoid operated valve, and means controlled by the speed of the -motor for controlling said circuit" to effect operation of the solenoid operated valve to supply fluid pressure from the pump to the fluid actuated clutch to close the clutch when the motor speed is above a predetermined value.

5. In combination, a member to be rotated, an electric motor, a fluid actuated clutch for connecting the motor to supplying actuating fluid to the clutch, electrically operated means controlling the fluid supply to the clutch, an electric circuit for the said 5 last-named means, and means controlled by--the speed of the motor for controlling said circuit to effect operation of such electrically operated means to supply fluid pressure to the fluid actuated clutch to close the clutch when the motor 10 speed is above a predetermined value.

6. In combination, a member to be rotated, an electric motor having a shaft, an expansible bellows having one end connected to the motor armature whereby the bellows is rotated by the i5 armature, a movable clutch member carried by the other end of the bellows, a cooperating clutch member connected to said member to be rotated,

a fluid pump driven by the motor shaft for supplying fluid under pressure to the bellows to 2() effect closing of the clutch, a solenoid operated,

valve controlling the flow of fluid from the pump to the bellows, an electric circuit for the solenoid operated valve, and means controlled by the speed of the motor which controls said electrio circuit to effect operation of said solenoid operated valve when the motor is operating at lows having one end connected to the motor armature whereby the bellows is rotated by the armature, a movable clutch member carried by the other end of the bellows, a cooperating clutch member connected to said member to be rotated,

means for supplying fluid under pressure to the bellows to effect closing of the clutch, electrically operated means controlling the fluid supplying means, an electric circuit for said electrically operated means, and circuit closing means in said electric circuit which is controlled by the speed of the electric motor to effect operation of said electrically operated means to control the fluid pressure supplied to the bellows.

- I HERBERT F. BARIFFI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 2,151,153 Rode et a1. Mar. 21, 1939 2,286,585 Simpson June 16, 1942 2,129,529 Howard Sept. 6, 1938 2,135,084 Kirby l Nov. 1,1938

the member, means for- 

